Thoughts on this quote

[ReformedWretch]

I'll discuss who and where it came from shortly. (Hint: one of my favorite pastors if anyone can remember me discussing him in the past)

Here is the quote:

"Tribulation is God's way to separate what is Heavenly from what is worldly within His people".

 

[Semper Fidelis]

I think the quote is good.

From Book I of Calvin's Institutes:

7. The servant of God being confirmed by these promises and examples,
will add the passages which teach that all men are under his power,
whether to conciliate their minds, or to curb their wickedness, and
prevent it from doing harm. For it is the Lord who gives us favour, not
only with those who wish us well, but also in the eyes of the Egyptians
(Exod. 3:21), in various ways defeating the malice of our enemies.
Sometimes he deprives them of all presence of mind, so that they cannot
undertake anything soundly or soberly. In this ways he sends Satan to
be a lie in the mouths of all the prophets in order to deceive Ahab (1
Kings 22:22), by the counsel of the young men he so infatuates
Rehoboam, that his folly deprives him of his kingdom (1 Kings 12:10,
15). Sometimes when he leaves them in possession of intellect, he so
fills them with terror and dismays that they can neither will nor plan
the execution of what they had designed. Sometimes, too, after
permitting them to attempt what lust and rage suggested, he opportunely
interrupts them in their career, and allows them not to conclude what
they had begun. Thus the counsel of Ahithophel, which would have been
fatal to David, was defeated before its time (2 Sam. 17:7, 14). Thus,
for the good and safety of his people, he overrules all the creatures,
even the devil himself who, we see, durst not attempt any thing against
Job without his permission and command. This knowledge is necessarily
followed by gratitude in prosperity, patience in adversity, and
incredible security for the time to come. Every thing, therefore, which
turns out prosperous and according to his wish, the Christian will
ascribe entirely to God, whether he has experienced his beneficence
through the instrumentality of men, or been aided by inanimate
creatures. For he will thus consider with himself: Certainly it was the
Lord that disposed the minds of these people in my favour, attaching
them to me so as to make them the instruments of his kindness. In an
abundant harvest he will think that it is the Lord who listens to the
heaven, that the heaven may listen to the earth, and the earth herself
to her own offspring; in other cases, he will have no doubt that he
owes all his prosperity to the divine blessing, and, admonished by so
many circumstances, will feel it impossible to be ungrateful.

8. If any thing adverse befalls him, he will forthwith raise his mind
to God, whose hand is most effectual in impressing us with patience and
placid moderation of mind. Had Joseph kept his thoughts fixed on the
treachery of his brethren, he never could have resumed fraternal
affection for them. But turning toward the Lord, he forgot the injury,
and was so inclined to mildness and mercy, that he even voluntarily
comforts his brethren, telling them, "Be not grieved nor angry with
yourselves that ye sold me hither; for God did send me before you to
preserve life." "As for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant
it unto good," (Gen. 45:5; 50:20). Had Job turned to the Chaldees, by
whom he was plundered, he should instantly have been fired with
revenge, but recognising the work of the Lord, he solaces himself with
this most beautiful sentiment: "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken
away; blessed be the name of the Lord," (Job 1:21). So when David was
assailed by Shimei with stones and curses, had he immediately fixed his
eyes on the man, he would have urged his people to retaliate the
injury; but perceiving that he acts not without an impulse from the
Lord, he rather calms them. "So let him curse," says he, "because the
Lord has said unto him, Curse David." With the same bridle he elsewhere
curbs the excess of his grief, "I was dumb, I opened not my mouth,
because thou didst it," (Ps. 39:9). If there is no more effectual
remedy for anger and impatience, he assuredly has not made little
progress who has learned so to meditate on Divine Providence, as to be
able always to bring his mind to this, The Lord willed it, it must
therefore be borne; not only because it is unlawful to strive with him,
but because he wills nothing that is not just and befitting. The whole
comes to this. When unjustly assailed by men, overlooking their malice
(which could only aggravate our grief, and whet our minds for
vengeance), let us remember to ascend to God, and learn to hold it for
certain, that whatever an enemy wickedly committed against us was
permitted, and sent by his righteous dispensation. Paul, in order to
suppress our desire to retaliate injuries, wisely reminds us that we
wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with our spiritual enemy the
devil, that we may prepare for the contest (Eph. 6:12). But to calm all
the impulses of passion, the most useful consideration is, that God
arms the devil, as well as all the wicked, for conflict, and sits as
umpire, that he may exercise our patience. But if the disasters and
miseries which press us happen without the agency of men, let us call
to mind the doctrine of the Law (Deut. 28:1), that all prosperity has
its source in the blessing of God, that all adversity is his curse. And
let us tremble at the dreadful denunciation, "And if ye will not be
reformed by these things, but will walk contrary unto me; then will I
also walk contrary unto you," (Lev. 26:23, 24). These words condemn our
torpor, when, according to our carnal sense, deeming that whatever
happens in any way is fortuitous, we are neither animated by the
kindness of God to worship him, nor by his scourge stimulated to
repentance. And it is for this reason that Jeremiah (Lament. 3:38), and
Amos (Amos 3:6), expostulated bitterly with the Jews, for not believing
that good as well as evil was produced by the command of God. To the
same effect are the words in Isaiah, "I form the light and create
darkness: I make peace and create evil. I the Lord do all these
things," (Is. 45:7).

 

[Jimmy the Greek]

Martin Luther once said, “Were it not for tribulation, I would not understand the Scriptures.”

 

[ReformedWretch]

It's from a sermon by Paul Washer. I liked the quote and just wanted to see what some others thought.